Card index



April 25, 1950 J. B. HlTcHlNGs 2,505,116

GARD INDEX Filed oct. s, 1948 Patented Apr. 25, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i Y CARD INDEX John E, Hitchings, Long Beach, Calif. Application-October 8, 1948, Serial No. 53,408

My invention relates to an indexing device, and more particularly to a card index adapted to be removablyaffixed to the sun shield which is normally provided in an automobile.

Although numerous card indexes have been devised and marketed in the past, the majority of these devicesare not. adapted for the need of salesmen who travel from place to place by automobile. The conventional card index includes a container for holding the cards in a, predetermined position, with the container adapted to be situated in a stationary position. Thus, it will be apparent that a salesman requiring a card index which can be .used when driving an automobile cannot satisfactorily use any one voi the presently available indexes as they are not designed to remain in an upright positionyon the sloping seat of an automobile. In addition, there is the constant danger that; the cards will be blown from or displaced in theycontainerbythe wind which is normally present when an autobild. bil-e is in motion. It is to eliminate the disadvantages oithe prior card holding devices that I have devised my present card index which is. adapted' '00 be. removably positioned on the. sun shield of an automobile, and when so. positioned maintain a number of cardsk in the desired relationship with one another.

A. major objectv of invention is` to provide a card index which can be removably affixed, to the sun vshield normailyprovided in an, alltomobile, that Will permit the easy removal or insertion of' one or more cards, can be easily afto and 'removed from the sun shield Ofi all automobile, and dueto its ease of operation the index can be` used by the driver ofv a vehicle dui'- i-ng the time the vehicle is. in motion.

Another obiect of myinvention is to provide a card index having an extremely simple mechanical structure, that: can be manufactured from standard commercially available materials, that will be easy to fabricate, and due to its. ease` of manufacture can be sold at asuiiiciently lowcost as to encourage its wide spread; use by individuals having need for such apiece ofVA equipment.

'These and other objects and advantages or my invention will becomeappa-rent from the iollowing description oi a preferred form thereof,V and from the drawing illustrating that form in which:

Fig. i is a iront elevational view of my card index removably affixed to. the sun shield of an automobile which is indicated in phantom line;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective. view oi a portion oi the. device taken on the4 line 27% of Fig. i;

5 claims. (o1.` 40s-.102)

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of two of the card hoiing members engaging the supporting rod; an

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the clamps used in removably mounting the card index supporting bar on a sun shield of a vehicle.

Referring now to Fig. 1 for the general arrangement oi my invention it will be seen that a number of cards supporting frames F are movably mounted 0n a horizontally positioned bar B, with the bar being removably afiixed to the sun shield S of a vehicle by two clamps C, one of which is aixed to each end of the bar B.

Each of the clamps C as may best be seen in Fig. 4 includes a vertically positioned U-shaped member I0 having two laterally spaced arms II and I2 respectively, which embrace the sides of the sun shield SI as, may best be seen in Fig. 1. Extending outwardly from the exterior side of the leg I I is a tubular L-shaped member I3 having an extremity I3a which extends inwardly and is in alignment with the similar extremity of the clamp C situated on the opposite end of the sun, shield S.. Each of the clamp portionsA |311.v is substantially straight and is formed with a longitudinally extending bore I4 that is preferably tapped.

In Fig. 1 it will be noted that the bar B is made up of two members I5 and I5 oi circularV cross section, each of which is provided on itsv outer end with threads adapted to engage the tapped bore Ill of one of the clamps C, and hold the member in a non-rotating position. The inner end of each of the members I5 and I6 is provided with threads I'I and I8 respectively, with the threads being formed in opposite directions. A cylindrical handle I9 is centrally positioned on my device and is formed with a longitudinally extending bore, with each end oi the bore being tapped to engage one of the threads Il and I8. It will be apparent that the handle I8 may take any desiredV shape which is convenient to rotate, with such rotation causing the threaded portions I1 and I8 to. be

moved in opposite directions whereby the clamps C areA caused to engage or be disengaged from the vertical edges ofthe sun shield S.y Should it be desired a number of indentations 2I can be formed in the external surface of the handle I9 toy facilitate its rotation when my device is being affixed to or removed from the sun shield S.

In Figs. 2. and 3 it will be noted that each of the members i5, and i6 has a number of; spaced longitudinally extending grooves 2 2 formed on the exterior surface thereof which are engaged by a portion ofthe irlzfnnes lA as will' hereinafter be explained. Although the members t5y and I6 `Vlegs cf the U-shaped members 2l.

resilient construction of the legs 25 the cards 3) can be formed from any rigid material I prefer to use wood or plastic for this purpose due to its lightness, and the attractive finish which may be placed thereon.

Each of the frames F as may best be seen in Fig. 1 is used in holding one or more cards of a particular class, with the result that the cards may be arranged either alphabetically or numerically as the work of the salesman or the person using my device may require. The structure of each of the frames F includes a substantially horizontally positioned cross piece 24 having a downwardly extending leg 25 appended to each' .nular ring 28. Formed on the extremity of the ring portion 2'3 is an indented portion 29 which serves to engage one of the grooves 22 as the frame F is rotated into the desired position. The material forming the frames F must have suincient rigidity to hold the cards in the desired position, but at the same time must have suiTi- 'i cient resiliency to grip the cards and the member I5 or I 6 on which it is movably supported.

In Fig. 1 it will be noted that a number of the frames F are positioned on both the members l5A and i6, with the rings V of one frame F being adjacent to the rings of the frame F situated directly in front thereof. Thus, any one of the frames F can be easily removed from the supporting bar B, as well as additional frames supported on it when the occasion so requires.

The operation of my invention is extremely simple. Upon it being desired to use the device in a vehicle, the sun shield S is rotated downwardly into a substantially vertical position. The handle I9 is rotated until the members I5 and I6 have been moved outwardly sufliciently so that the side walls of the sun shield 20 can be engaged between the arms II and I2 of each clamp C.

' The handle I9 is now rotated in the'opposite direction with the result that the clamps C are moved together, and my device is held in position on the sun shields due to the engaging action of the clamp C.

Index cards of a 4conventional nature are now slidably inserted in the frames F to be gripped between the members '2B and the inner Due to the are rmly but removably held in position therein. Each ofthe cards 30 preferably has a tab extend- V`ing outwardly therefrom on which is printed a number orrletter as may be seen in Fig. 1 for quickly locating'the desired card'. For instance,

should it be desired'to obtain information listed Y on the card C, the operator of the vehicle simply Y reaches up and grasps the tabs having A Yand B marked thereon and rotates them downwardly suniciently so that the information on the card C can be easily read, The cards A and B upon beare pressed inwardly with suicient force to hold -a particular frame F in the desired position, the

. indented portions are easily moved from the groove V22 they are engaging by but a slight amount of force being applied to the frame F.

In Fig. 1 it will be seen that sufficient space is left between the handle I9 and each of the clamps 4 C for additional frames F to be added should this be required. To prevent lateral movement of the frames F, each of the groups of frames is situated between two annular rings 3| that are longitudinally adjustable on the members I5 or I5.

While the above described device is fully capable of vattaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred form of my invention, and that I do not mean to limit myself to the details of construction hereinshown and described other than as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A card index which includes: a longitudinally adjustable bar, with said bar being formed with a series of grooves that extend the length thereof a clamp aflixed to each end of said bar, with each of said clamps when said bar is properly adjusted being adapted to grip the vertical edges of the sun shield of a vehicle and hold the bar in position thereon; and a plurality of card holding frames, with each of said frames being rotatably mounted on said bar and having a portion thereof adapted to engage said grooves whereby said frame is held in the position in whch it is manually placed.

2. A card index which includes: two co-axially positioned members, with each of said members being formed with a series of longitudinally extending grooves in the outer surface thereof, and each of said members on its inner end being provided with a threaded section; a handle situated between the inner ends of said members, with said handle having a longitudinally extending bore that is tapped at each end to engage one of the threaded ends of said members; a pair of clamps, with each of said clamps being aixed to the outer end of one of said members whereby upon said handle being rotated said clamps are moved inwardly to grasp the vertical edge of the sun shield provided in a vehicle and hold said members in a longitudinally extending position thereon; and a plurality of card holding frames, with each of said frames having a portion thereof engaging said grooves whereby said frame is held in the position in which it is manually placed.

3. A card index which includes: two co-axially positioned members, with each of said members being formed with a series of longitudinally extending grooves in the outer surface thereof, and each of said members on its inner end being provided With a threaded section; a handle situated between the inner ends of said bars, with said handle having a longitudinally extending bore that is tapped at each end to engage one of the threaded ends of said members; a pair of clamps, with each of said clamps being aflixed to the outer end of one of said members whereby upon said handle being rotated said clamps are moved inwardly to grasp the vertical edge of the sun shield provided in a vehicle and hold said members in a longitudinally extending position thereon; and a plurality of substantially rectangular card holding frames, with each of said frames being mounted on one of said members, and each of said frames having a resilient annular portion that engages said grooves whereby said frame is held in the position in which it is manually placed.

4. A card index which includes: two co-axially positioned members, with each of said members being formed with a series of longitudinally extending grooves in the outer surface thereof, and each of said members on its inner end being provided with a threaded section; a handle situated between the inner ends of said members, with said handle having a longitudinally extending bore that is tapped at each end to engage one of the threaded ends of said members; a pair of clamps, with each of said clamps being affixed to the outer end of one of said members whereby upon said handle being rotated said clamps are moved inwardly to grasp the vertical edge of the sun shield provided in a vehicle and hold said members in a longitudinally extending position thereon; and a plurality of substantially rectangular frames, with each of said frames having two laterally spaced resilient arms adapted to support a card therebetween, and each of said frames at each end thereof having a resilient ring portion rotatably supporting said frame from one of said members, with a portion of each of said rings being adapted to engage said grooves whereby said frame is held in the position in which it is manually placed.

5. A card index which includes: two co-axially positioned members, with each of said members being formed with a series of longitudinally extending grooves in the outer surface thereof, with each of said members on its inner end being provided with a threaded section; a handle situated between the inner ends of said members, with said handle having a longitudinally extending bore that is tapped at each end to engage one of the threaded ends of said members; a pair of clamps, with each of said clamps being aiilxed to the outer end of one of said members whereby upon said handle being rotated said clamps are moved inwardly to grasp suitable projecting objects and hold said members in a longitudinally extending position thereon; and a plurality of card holding frames, with each of said frames having a portion thereof engaging said grooves whereby said frame is held in the position in which it is manually placed.

JOHN B. IrlITCI-IINGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 786,271 Desmarais Apr. 4, 1905 2,244,959 Murata June 10, 1941 

